Martha M. M. Lewis "Marti", 57, of South Bned, IN, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, in her residence.  Martha was born August 31, 1952 in Lafayette, IN to the late Richard and Florence (Wirsching) Lewis and had lived in South Bend, IN on and off since 1968. 

She is survived by her sister, Ruth Lewis of Ann Arbor, MI; two brothers, Jonathan (Peggy) Lewis of Muncie, IN and Paul (Kalene) Lewis of Warsaw, IN.  Six neices and nephews, maternal and paternal cousins.

Marti attended Lakeshore High School in Stevensville, MI and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School, Sout Bend, IN, in 1970.  Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary with a BA degree in 1976, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, with a BS degree also in 1976 as well as some graduate course work at Michigan State University.

In her youth, she was active in the Peioneer Girls and 4-H.  In college she enjoyed playing women's varsity basketball as well as coaching girls basketball,  She had great interest in archeology and the arts.  Her artistic endeavers included drawing a comic strip.

She retired as a manager with Federal Express then worked as owner and manager of the Howard Park General Store on Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, IN. Marti was very interested in neighborhood and urban development, preservation of historical buildings and sites, especially the Botanical Gardens and Conservatory, and an arts community in downtown South Bend.  She was very concerned about the historic preservation of the Howard Park General Store and Fat Daddies building, along with other sites.

Her local activities also included; President of the Botanical Society of South Bend.  She was instrumental in establishing the Botanical Society and worked in partnership with the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County to save the Potawatomi Botanical Conservatory along with the rehabiitation of its collections.  She helped establish the South Bend Community Gardens and helped establish the Urban Garden Market and a memebr of the Market Management Team PArk Neighborhood Association, being instrumental in the revitalization of the original Howard Park Neighborhood Association.  She was personally responsible for getting every resident on Quimby Street to participate in the Curbs and sidewalks; Good Neighbors program.  She represented her neighborhood as a board member of the Neighborhood Resource Corp., and served as Secretary of the Board.

Other involvements included: the River Park Business Assiciation, Common Council Citizen Member, Representative on Parks, Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee; Urban City Chicken Movement; St. County Democratic Women's Club, a poll worker and Precinct Committee Woman and provided her store as the campaign headquarters for Hillary Clinton; former member of the River Park Neighborhood Association and former Volunteer in Police Service member.

Funeral services in Kern Road Mennonite Church.  Burial at North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma, MI.